Mistakes to avoid before you rent a car in Dubai

Car rental can be a distressing activity for avid travelers, especially frequent flyers who always find themselves jetlagged and disheveled after a long flight, waiting in line to rent a car in Dubai. It is easy to become a victim of crafty sales agent’s tricks when you are unaware of the rules or are just misinformed. In this post, we have highlighted some of the most common and dreadfully costly car rental mistakes that you can avoid.

Avoid crossing the Border

For those who don’t rent cars on a regular basis, here’s a common rule that most travelers break more than often: driving across the border with your rental car. Most travelers make the gruesome mistake of not understanding the rental rules before they drive off with their rental. Crossing the border can cost you an extra fee (that can range anywhere between AED 340 to AED 400) and insurance problems. In addition, you may get detained while crossing the border (the rental may require special license or permits to enter a specific country). Therefore, it is extremely crucial that you understand the rental rules before hiring a car for rental.

Do not pair your mobile device with car’s Bluetooth

You would be surprised to learn how many travelers make this mistake. It is very convenient to pair your phone with the car’s Bluetooth and access your media files. However, what most travelers don’t understand is that pairing the device with Bluetooth can sync all contacts and other personal information to the car’s system. This information can be easily be accessed by any other traveler who rents the same car after you. So before you press that ‘yes’ button to connect with the rental car’s navigation system, consider the risk. Do you really want your personal information out there for future travelers to access?

Don’t fall for the insurance trap

All of us have made this mistake at some point in our lives where we paid more than the requirement. We can’t afford to make this mistake over and over again. Therefore, make sure that you don’t become the victim of extra insurance charges that your tricky sales agent presents as an absolute necessity. The most common extra charges are usually tired to loss damage waiver and supplemental liability insurance, which most travelers are unaware of. In addition, there are a couple of other charges that are masterfully hidden within the contract. This could be a pitfall for those who are new to the car hire procedure. So don’t sign up for premium insurance until you are sure that you need it.

Avoid the urge to rent cars at the airport

For frequent flyers, car hire Dubai services on airports are nothing less than an artesian well in a desert. No matter how convenient it may seem, it is a rip-off. The best way to travel without being too heavy on your budget is to rent a car beforehand and avoid paying all the tax inclusive rental charges at the airport car rentals.

Do not forget the Pre-inspection

Most car rental Dubai services offer premium car rental services where you don’t have to worry about car inspection. However, this may not be the case with every rental companies. Failing to inspect the car beforehand can cost you both time and money on your trip. You do not want to end up with a car that needs an oil change.

Avoiding the above-mentioned mistakes can help you save a lot Next time you rent a car, keep the above mistakes in mind to avoid being ripped off.